Lord Adebowale joins call for statutory PSHE classes in schools

News item posted: 19 June 2017

In his capacity as co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group
for complex needs and dual diagnosis, Turning Point Chief
Executive Lord Victor Adebowale is a signatory to an open letter
calling for Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education
to become a statutory part of the curriculum in schools.

The letter was signed by the chairs of several all-party
parliamentary groups, royal medical colleges, royal societies,
teaching unions, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the
Office of the Children's Commissioner, and Public Health England.
In it, they highlight the benefits of PSHE for children's safety
and well-being, as well as the wider benefits to society, in terms
of the personal and character traits that contribute to children
and young people's ability to thrive in the UK today.

The open letter was published in the Daily Telegraph, to
coincide with the release of the Commons Education Committee's
report on the subject, which calls unequivocally for mandatory
PSHE. Lord Adebowale lent his support to the campaign as PSHE can
have an important role to play in helping children and young people
to cope with the challenges posed by mental health issues,
substance misuse, or learning disability, whether these issues
affect them, or those around them. Intervening and educating early
in this way can also contribute to young people having greater
resilience and improved wellbeing in adulthood.